Selective purging for hydroprocessing reactor loop
AssigneeMembrane Technology and Research, Inc.
InventorsKaaeid A. Lokhandwala, Richard W. Baker
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process for hydroprocessing a fluid stream containing at least hydrogen and hydrocarbons. The process uses a hydrocarbon-selective membrane to reduce the concentration of hydrocarbons and contaminants in the hydrogen stream recycled to the hydroprocessing reactor. The membrane can operate in the presence of hydrogen sulfide. The process also provides the opportunity for increased NGL recovery from the hydrocarbon-enriched membrane permeate stream.
Claims48
A process of hydroprocessing a fluid stream comprising hydrogen, a sulfur compound, and hydrocarbons, the process comprising the steps of:
- (a) hydroprocessing the fluid stream;
- (b) subjecting an effluent, wherein the effluent comprises hydrogen sulfide, from the hydroprocessing step to at least one phase separation step, thereby producing a vapor stream comprising hydrogen, hydrogen sulfide, and a light hydrocarbon;
- (c) performing a membrane separation step, comprising passing at least a portion of the vapor stream across a feed side of a polymeric membrane selective to the light hydrocarbon and hydrogen sulfide over hydrogen;
- (d) withdrawing from a permeate side of the polymeric membrane a permeate stream enriched in hydrogen sulfide and the light hydrocarbon compared to the vapor stream;
- (e) withdrawing from the feed side a residue stream enriched in hydrogen compared to the vapor stream;
- recycling at least a portion of the residue stream to the hydroprocessing step.
A process of hydroprocessing a fluid stream comprising hydrogen and hydrocarbons comprising providing selective purging of light hydrocarbons from a hydroprocessor reactor recycle loop by carrying out the steps of:
- (a) hydroprocessing the fluid stream;
- (b) subjecting an effluent from the hydroprocessing step to at least one phase separation step, thereby producing a vapor stream comprising hydrogen and a light hydrocarbon;
- (c) performing a membrane separation step, comprising passing at least a portion of the vapor stream across a feed side of a polymeric membrane selective to the light hydrocarbon over hydrogen;
- (d) withdrawing from a permeate side of the polymeric membrane a permeate stream enriched in the light hydrocarbon compared to the vapor stream;
- (e) withdrawing from the feed side a residue stream enriched in hydrogen compared to the vapor stream;
- (f) completing the hydroprocessor reactor recycle loop by recycling at least a portion of the residue stream to the hydroprocessing step.
A process for hydroprocessing a fluid stream comprising hydrogen and hydrocarbons, the process comprising the steps of:
- (a) hydroprocessing the fluid stream;
- (b) subjecting an effluent from the hydroprocessing step to a first phase-separation step at a first pressure, thereby producing a first vapor stream and a first liquid stream;
- (c) subjecting the first liquid stream to a second phase-separation step at a second pressure, the second pressure being lower than the first pressure, thereby producing a second vapor stream, comprising a light hydrocarbon and hydrogen, and a second liquid stream;
- (d) performing a membrane separation step, comprising passing at least a portion of the second vapor stream across a feed side of a polymeric membrane selective to the light hydrocarbon over hydrogen;
- (e) withdrawing from a permeate side of the polymeric membrane a permeate stream enriched in the light hydrocarbon compared to the second vapor stream;
- (f) withdrawing from the feed side a residue stream enriched in hydrogen compared to the second vapor stream.
A process of hydroprocessing a fluid stream comprising at least hydrogen and hydrocarbons comprising providing selective purging of light hydrocarbons from a hydroprocessor reactor recycle loop by carrying out the steps of:
- (a) hydroprocessing the fluid stream;
- (b) subjecting an effluent from the hydroprocessing step to at least one phase separation step, thereby producing a vapor stream comprising hydrogen and a light hydrocarbon;
- (c) completing the hydroprocessor reactor recycle loop by recycling a first portion of the vapor stream to the hydroprocessing step;
- (d) performing a membrane separation step, comprising passing a second portion of the vapor stream across a feed side of a polymeric membrane selective to the light hydrocarbon over hydrogen;
- (e) withdrawing from a permeate side of the polymeric membrane a permeate stream enriched in the light hydrocarbon compared to the vapor stream;
- (f) withdrawing from the feed side a residue stream enriched in hydrogen compared to the vapor stream.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.